NB mkI to NB mkIII cluster swap

OurCognitiveSurplus · Postby **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 1:36 pm

Hi everyone

I recently purchased a mkIII gauge cluster to swap into my mkI (because the mkI doesn't look the greatest). I've been reading plenty of threads about clusters - this one is particularly useful: http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.ph ... 092&page=2

My main concern is swapping over the odo. The work seems doable, however, I've come across the following comment:

That's all it takes (a new cluster and change the odometer.) You will have to make one jumper on the back of the cluster - search through my old posts for the details - to make the high-beam lamp work, aside from that it is plug and play.

source: http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=199964

I can't find any other information about making a jumper or what needs to be jumped etc.

Has anyone done a cluster swap and had a problem with the high beam light? Any tips on what I should be doing?

I can document the cluster swap for the forums if anyone gives me the info I need!

Cheers
Greg

Aussie Stig · Postby **Aussie Stig** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 2:28 pm

Big question, you not worrying about the odometer?

OurCognitiveSurplus · Postby **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 2:30 pm

Aussie Stig wrote:Big question, you not worrying about the odometer?

I'll swap the odo, I think I should be able to figure that out by myself (how hard can it be, right?)

My question mainly relates to the high-beam jumper- which I don't understand at all.

OurCognitiveSurplus · Postby **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:20 pm

Taking an odo out of a cluster:

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Undo two screw, pull out the two plugs, take out a bulb, lever off some of that circuit print plastic stuff

Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Pull out the pod with the trip computer / odo on it

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Tah dah!

OurCognitiveSurplus · Postby **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:13 pm

For anyone playing along at home, just found this on the WWW:

You need to run a wire from the side of the high-beam bulb that is attached to pin "h" of the connector to the nearest screw marked "GND." I used the one on the lower right corner. Looking at the back of the cluster, the "pin h" side of the bulb is the right side. I used one wire from a piece of telephone wire, but anything small and similar should work. Simply cut a piece about 4" long, strip about 1/2" off one end and about 1/8" off the other. Loosen the "GND" screw and loop the 1/2" end around it clockwise, tighten the screw. Take out the bulb, insert the 1/8" stripped end between the bulb holder and one of the copper contacts, put the bulb back in with the wire on your right (holding the cluster so the top is "up" and turn the bulb in place. Put it back in and everything will be just fine.

Will give that a crack.

OurCognitiveSurplus · Postby **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 9:59 pm

Above is the connector which needs some re-wiring for the move from MkI to MkIII. The reference in the quote above to 'pin h' had me confused for quite awhile (where is the damn h!). Of course you can see the A and the P next to the pins on either edge of the plug. Apply alphabet, suddenly pin-h. :roll:

Got there in the end.

Anyway, once you figure the pin lettering, making the jumper is pretty easy. I have a fair bit of wire kicking around, but mostly for high-current applications, as you can see, you'll need something pretty fine for making the jumper.

So I found a pair of Virgin Blue ear buds and butchered them for some very fine wire, and tah dah! I just wrapped the wire around ground before tightening the screw and tucked the other end under the bulb before clicking the bulb down. No real need to solder, I doubt it'll work loose. Probably could have use a shorter wire, but whatever.

That jumper worked a treat and now the high-beam light works.

The only other trick is taking the gauge hood off. Other posts make it sound difficult or subject to breaking - that wasn't my experience. Take off the clam shell, reach up under the gauge hood to the far corners (think above your knee caps in the driver's seat) and push hard against the clips. Once they've both clipped free, grab the hood and tug it straight towards your chest. Pops straight out.

toymx5 · Postby **toymx5** » Sun Dec 18, 2011 10:07 pm

Great post and great photos, I've done the same swap and was wondering if there was a fix for that. Much appreciated, I'll give it a go

bootz · Postby **bootz** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 2:01 am

OurCognitiveSurplus wrote:
That jumper worked a treat and now the high-beam light works.

Definitely a little exercise in deductive reasoning. Nice work Holmes.

snippy · Postby **snippy** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 1:08 pm

Hey mate!
Sorry I did not get back to ya!

Nice write up, was exactly what I did but I did not have time to share with you
High Beam works, I got excited by that lol.
It looks awesome with Red LEDs too, also changed the HVAC to red (not as nice but at least everything is red now =D)

I was wondering if there is low fuel warning light though, it looks like there is from the cluster itself

OurCognitiveSurplus · Postby **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 2:18 pm

snippy wrote:Hey mate!
Sorry I did not get back to ya!

Nice write up, was exactly what I did but I did not have time to share with you
High Beam works, I got excited by that lol.
It looks awesome with Red LEDs too, also changed the HVAC to red (not as nice but at least everything is red now =D)

I was wondering if there is low fuel warning light though, it looks like there is from the cluster itself

No worries, I worked it out in the end in any case. I understand how it can be.

I haven't dríven the car at night yet, so I'm not sure if the red//green contrast will annoy me or not (I also read that getting the HVAC out and changed is more work than the cluster). I saw people on other forums putting the 1998 green bulbs into the 04 white cluster. I think that's a bit weird - but I guess that's how taste works :wink:

I'm not optomistic that the low fuel light will work - I guess it depends how it's wired / how the sender works (and I never let my fuel get that low in anycase).

ta
Greg

bootz · Postby **bootz** » Mon Dec 19, 2011 3:51 pm

I tested functioning and was sort of shocked that the low fuel light only came on when the needle was plumb on empty. Sort of had a panic to quickly look for a gas station as I did not know the reserve fuel load.

From other members I believe there is about 60km from low fuel light to absolute empty, but good luck testing it. As OP says, try not to let it get to that stage. :lol:

Shambler · Postby **Shambler** » Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:04 am

This post is interesting, I wasn't aware that you could actually swap the ODO seperately!
I was going to do a MK I to MK II full cluster swap myself, however I gave up originally as it proved too difficult to find one that had similar KMs as my original.
If I can keep my original ODO though....

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:19 am

Interesting question.

Does anybody know if this is applicable to swapping from an NB8A Australian cluster, to an NB8A Japanese cluster?

OurCognitiveSurplus · Postby **OurCognitiveSurplus** » Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:38 am

hks_kansei wrote:Interesting question.

Does anybody know if this is applicable to swapping from an NB8A Australian cluster, to an NB8A Japanese cluster?

I don't know, but I strongly suspect the JDM cluster's wiring would be the same as the Australian cluster. I think that partially because the blue circuit sheet on the back of the Australian cluster has a scattering of Japansese characters on it.

Given people are finding this information useful, perhaps I should pull it together into a single thread in the guides section of the forum...